1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the command of systems in an aircraft and more particularly to a method and an interactive device for control of support subsystems in an aircraft.
2. Description of Related Art
The electronic and networking systems installed on board an aircraft relate substantially to two distinct types of functionalities. The first type of systems, known as avionic systems, relate to assisting the aircraft crew in assuring its tasks of piloting, navigation, communication, environmental monitoring and mission management. Systems of this type relate in particular to flight control systems, the automatic pilot, communication (voice and data) and navigation (radio, inertial, autonomous) systems and environmental monitoring systems (radar, weather, ground anti-collision, traffic anti-collision). Systems of the second type relate to generation and distribution of electrical capacity, generation and distribution of hydraulic capacity, generation of pneumatic capacity, air conditioning and pressurization, fuel management and the auxiliary power engine, known collectively as aircraft support subsystems.
All of these systems are commanded via control interfaces. In general, the control interface of the avionics is disposed facing the pilot and on his sides, under the windshield, the control interface of the support subsystems being placed on the ceiling, between the pilot and the copilot, so as to be accessible to each.
FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of an aircraft cockpit showing the position of the control interfaces of the different systems of the aircraft.
As illustrated, cockpit interface 100 can be divided into five main zones: the flight commands of the pilot and copilot, represented by 105-1, 105-2 and 105-3, the control screens, referenced 110, the avionic interface, referenced 115 and 120, the main purpose of zone 120 being control of the automatic pilot, and the command interface of the support subsystem, referenced 125.
The flight commands referenced 105-1 to 105-3 have the purpose of controlling the main devices used to pilot an aircraft, and thus in particular of controlling yaw, pitch and roll. These commands are often mechanical or electrical.
By virtue of the complex nature of the information items input into the avionics, avionic interface 115 comprises alphanumeric input keys as well as buttons of rotary switch type for defining values.
Support subsystem command interface 125, installed in the ceiling and known as OVHP (initials for OVer Head Panel in English terminology), comprises substantially multi-position buttons, especially of the start/stop type as well as buttons of rotary switch type. These buttons are generally provided with an illumination system, for example with light shining through, by means of which an anomaly of the functionality associated with the button can be indicated. This system of signaling by illumination of buttons makes it possible to install a system management philosophy known as dark cockpit philosophy in English terminology, wherein the nominal state of a function is indicated by the dark state of its command buttons and, conversely, an abnormal state is indicated by the illuminated state of its control buttons. The application of this philosophy therefore makes it possible to identify a button quickly when a problem is detected and to view the status of all of the support subsystems.